Dea Matrona

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In Celtic mythology, Dea Matrona ("divine mother goddess") was the goddess of the river Marne in Gaul.

The Welsh goddess Modron, mother of Mabon is derived from her. By analogy, Dea Matrona was probably the mother of the Gaulish Maponos.

In many areas she was worshipped as a triple goddess, and known as Deae Matres (or Deae Matrones), with a wider sphere of believed influence. This triadic deity is well attested throughout northern Europe (more generally as the Matres or Matrones), not just in Celtic areas, and was similar to the Fates, Furies, Norns, and other such figures.

[edit] Etymology

The Gaulish theonym Mātr-on-ā is interpreted to mean "great mother". Following accepted Celtic sound laws, the Romano-British form of this Proto-Celtic theonym is likely to have been *Mātrona, becoming *Motrona, whence the Welsh name Modron.